Summer Heat
by Ren421
Summary: Sequel to Innocence From Ashes; Yaoi, Mpreg. SasuNaru. It’s High Summer, and our beloved Hokage-sama has been so busy, that his prowling wolf is getting anxious.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Summer Heat

**Title:** Summer Heat

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Rating:** NC-17

**Pairing:** SasuNaru

**Warnings:** Yaoi, mpreg

**Note: **AU

**Summary: **Sequel to Innocence From Ashes. It's High Summer, and our beloved Hokage-sama has been so busy, that his prowling wolf is getting anxious. Sexually frustrated much?

Summer Heat

Sequel to Innocence From Ashes

Chapter 1

It had been an interesting month, and both Sasuke and Kyuubi had been watching the antics of their little fox kit with vast amusement. As anyone could have surmised, Naruto had been turning Konoha on its ear, making changes left and right. The head of the shinobi clans were safe, naturally. It was their task, after all, to govern the shinobi side of Fire Nation. And it didn't hurt that even the old school of them supported Naruto. But half the old council was out, all non shinobi; those hide bound old men were way behind the times, and contained the most hold outs that set up stumbling blocks for their new Hokage. Sure, they had indeed voted the demon in, but beyond that point, they could not go. And for a month, they lived and breathed to make the young man's life hell.

Especially Sfordanza; the fat fool that had been present at Kyuubi's attempted murder. He did not take well to being fired. The arrogant idiot actually had the audacity to lunge at Naruto in rage at his sudden 'retirement'. Before Sasuke could kill him, Sakura, who was never very far away from Naruto at any given moment and who was currently working as Naruto's superfluous personal guard, sporting her white fox mask, had shot forward even more quickly, and jack slapped the idiot into next week. By the time Shizune had finished treating the man for his injuries, every window of the ex council member's house had been mysteriously broken, and Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon had only smirked when they heard the news.

The man had tried to lead a revolt after this, but he was a very unpopular fellow, for all his power in the council. He had an unsavory interest in little girls, but his position and power had previously protected him. Thus, when the man mysteriously vanished, no one really was too upset, or surprised. But Kyuubi had been seen licking his claws later that night.

Not that Kyuubi licking his claws was anything out of the norm. How the fox loved to prowl the streets of Konoha, hissing and snarling, showing his long claws and fangs to all and sundry, and just generally terrorizing the city. Naruto was almost in despair, until Moegi took matters into her own hands. Whenever Kyuubi was being too, well, Kyuubi-ish, she would suddenly appear, tug hard on a velvety ear or bushy tail, and then Kyuubi would yelp in astonished affront, and chase the girl into the woods, conveniently forgetting whatever hapless fool he'd been not so subtly menacing.

This, naturally, gave Konohamaru a series of heart attacks, but he was not as fast as either the girl or the fox, and always lost them. But Moegi would turn up relatively unscathed every time, and he eventually began to relax. Especially when he came upon them, one dark evening, and found Moegi proudly perched on the fox's back, and Kyuubi had gamely given the exhausted girl a ride home from their activities in the woods.

For whatever reason, Kyuubi had formed an instant love/hate relationship with the girl. Probably because she reminded him so much of a younger Naruto. Once he chased her into the woods, they ended up sparring. Kyuubi, when cornered, simply said it was because he liked her red hair. Very fox like. But feel affection for a human? Never!

Iruka too suddenly found himself an object of Kyuubi's fascination. Whenever he would visit, he was subjected to sudden grooming, especially if the kids at the academy had been particularly rambunctious. In Kyuubi's eyes, he was the closest thing Naruto had to a mortal father, and the fox had dragged the man, literally kicking and screaming at first, into the family fold. Iruka had taken a very dim view of this at first. Kyuubi was his mortal enemy after all. Kyuubi was the source of all his childhood misery. But for Naruto's sake, he accepted the fox into their land, and though he hated every lick and nip, he endured them stoically, escaping as soon as possible. Someday the man would finally be able to tolerate the ex demon lord, but it was difficult, and would take a very long time.

Naruto's second act as Hokage had been… wait for it… to declare a national Ramen Appreciation Day. The only surprise anyone felt for this, was that it wasn't his first decree. And as ridiculous as many thought it, they supported it unilaterally. It was just so very… Narutoish, that even those that cared little or not at all for the salty dish, were comforted.

If for every Naruto there must be a Sasuke, well, for every Naruto there also had to be at least a dozen bowls of Ramen. And Naruto was comforted. Teuchi narrowly escaped being forced to become the head chef for the Hokage's entourage. Sasuke (and Kyuubi!) was forced to put his foot down. This, naturally, worked not at all, save to make Naruto even more intractable. But Sasuke was a wiser man, this time around. He finally persuaded his stubborn blonde that it was wrong, very wrong of Naruto to horde such magnificent talent all to himself. What would the rest of the world do? Could Naruto really be so selfish, so wicked as to deprive the world of the source of the best ramen in the world? And at this, Naruto almost tearfully crumbled. But the old man and his daughter consoled the new Hokage, by spiffing up Naruto's usual stool, printing his name in fancy gold ink upon the newly reupholstered cushion, and allowing no one but Naruto to sit there. They even had special bowls and chopsticks made just for him.

And again, Naruto was comforted.

But someone very near and dear to the blonde's heart was _not _comforted. In fact, it would be safe to assume that this particular man was so uncomfortable, as to become quite irritable. So irritable at times, that he was prone to growl at innocent passersby, and had been seen demolishing their personal training grounds.

Oh, and there was no more nonsense about calling it the Uchiha District, or the Uzumaki Compound. It was called by a variety of names. Sasuke and Naruto called it 'home'. Kiba called it the 'ultimate shinobi pad'. Most of those closest to the couple called it 'Naruto's place', or 'Sasuke's place', depending upon whom they were thinking or speaking of at the time. Almost everyone else simply called it 'There'. Always with a capital letter. Non shinobi people were convinced it was a death trap; and for the likes of them, it probably was. On the old maps, the word 'district' was crossed out, and hyphenated with 'Uzumaki'. If a stranger with said map were to be suicidal enough to ask for directions, he would ask for 'Uchiha-Uzumaki'.

But, 'nuff said about all that. Why was poor Sasuke Uchiha so irritable? So cranky and ill mannered to all and sundry, you ask? Well… since the night of Naruto's ascension, almost _two whole months _ago, Sasuke had yet to lay with his beautiful blonde Kitsune. Oh, the will was there, on both sides. But Naruto was very busy with the restructuring of Konoha and the Fire Nation, as was Sasuke with the duties that come with being a newly high ranked ANBU. The times they were both alone together, and not passed out with exhaustion, or inundating with tasks were few and far between. And those rare and precious moments when all the above criteria was met, it was as if some sort of evil conspiracy had appeared.

The first time Naruto had the wherewithal and energy to pounce Sasuke with naughty intent, he barely was able to yank his hand out of the Uchiha's pants before Shizune arrived with a batch of letters that absolutely, positively, and without a doubt and not a second to lose, had to be signed right now!

There was a moment there, despite how fond Naruto was of the woman, that the blonde wondered why in the hell hadn't Tsunade strangled her when she had the chance.

A week passed before Sasuke was able to pin the gorgeous fox against the wall of the Hokage's office, and actually managed to get most of Naruto's clothes off, when a report surfaced of a rogue band of predatory ninja coming their way. It seemed that the news of Kyuubi's latest attack on Konoha had inspired a rather precocious band of shinobi entrepreneurs that the time was ripe for yet another leader change.

Sasuke was so furious that none lived to tell the tale, and those ANBU that went with him to deal with this minor fracas ran away from his wildly spinning tomoe's. Beating a dozen foolish ninja to death with his bare hands simply wasn't enough to take the edge off, and his aura radiated with menacing chakra spikes. Sasuke came home alone, the others trailing behind at a safe distance, only to find that Naruto had fallen into an exhausted slumber. There were rather blood thirsty howls directed at the moon several times that night, and children trembled in their beds at the sound.

And so it went on and on, until Sasuke was ready to scream, and convinced the whole world was against him, and it was some deep laid plot to separate him once more from his precious dobe.

Yessir… Sasuke was ready to kill…

And his first victim would be his not so beloved chichiue. The irritating bundle of red fur had the gall to simply give him an evil smirk, and the enigmatic response of 'just wait, oh impatient cub'.

What the hell was that? When had his chichiue, his own father, for crying out loud, turned against him too?

To which, said wily fox refused to reply, and betook himself far away from his unstable little cub.

Traitor!

It was beginning to look as though if he ever wanted to make love with Naruto again, he would have to kidnap him once more. Half way through his desperate machinating thoughts, who should interrupt him but… Naruto himself.

Not one to let the grass grow beneath his sandals, or bare feet as the case currently was, Sasuke abandoned his nefarious plot to gleefully jump his unsuspecting dobe.

But though Naruto was willing enough, when Sasuke's hand slid up his belly enticingly, the blonde suddenly gave a yip of pain. Nonplussed, his excitement sputtering abruptly out, Sasuke gently palpitated that tender belly again. Once his instant lust had finally cleared, the Uchiha was dismayed to see that Naruto was pale, his customary tanned visage washed out, and he was moving slow.

It was the latter, more even than anything else, that alarmed Sasuke. Unless the dobe was hurt, or asleep, he never moved so slowly, so painfully. And the blonde's skin was cold and clammy.

Naruto suddenly fought him off, further scaring his mate, who refused to let go. And a second later, Naruto threw up all over him.

Since when did Naruto ever get sick? Suddenly terrified, Sasuke cleaned him up, tucked him into bed, and got a jar when he saw that Naruto's half closed eyes were gleaming red. He'd not had red eyes since Sasuke first made love to him in their enchanted little glade; when Kyuubi had surrendered his lordship to the blonde. Since that day, even the rare moments when Naruto 'demonized', his eyes always stayed blue. So why were they red now?

Not even bothering to bathe the last residues of vomit from his body, Sasuke dared leave his stricken mate only long enough to transport himself to the hospital, were he practically kidnapped Sakura.

Sakura, becoming as quickly alarmed as Sasuke once she saw the still, slightly huffing blonde with the glowing red eyes in their big bed, couldn't find anything wrong… he didn't have a virus, bacteria had not invaded his system. There were no injuries, no miniscule pinpricks denoting some drug, and he showed no traces of poison. Even Tsunade could not find anything wrong with the fox boy.

And the Byakkuugan was beyond them at the moment. Hinata had long ago returned to her husband's lands, and Neji was far away on a mission. Without a second thought, Sasuke sent out messages to both Hyuuga's; _return immediately, Naruto is sick!_

Gaara, regretfully enough, responded back that Hinata had just been discovered to be in the first stages of pregnancy. Not even for Naruto would the ex kazekage risk her well being by teleporting or, worse, traveling overland so far a distance. He did, however, arrive almost immediately with several of his best healers; who were as perplexed as the Konohan medics.

Nothing seemed wrong with Naruto; yet everything was wrong with him.

They would have to wait, until Neji returned.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Summer Heat

Summer Heat

Chapter 2

Naruto remained in his strange little trance for over two days. During the second day, Hanabi swept in, in all her regal glory, to do what Neji was not there to do. The youngest Hyuuga daughter had really come into her own in the last few years since she became the heiress. The last time Sasuke had seen her, not that he'd really been paying attention, had been before his first defection, back when he was twelve. Then she'd been a small, rather gangly child; all knees and elbows despite her prodigious skills even at that age. Now she was tall, very womanly, and all Hyuuga.

She turned her white, blind looking eyes upon the stricken Hokage, and the grateful assembled there held their collective breaths. Surely, here, at last, they would learn what was wrong with everyone's precious person.

But they were to be disappointed once more. All the young princess could tell them was that Naruto's chakra, as well as his body, was in a state of flux. Something was changing, but exactly what was unclear. Thus, at the close of the second day, they were no closer to an answer than before.

Sasuke was beside himself with worry. He sat at his mate's side the entire time; refusing to leave, refusing to eat, refusing to rest. He would frequently weep silent tears, and curse his chichiue, who was conspicuously absent. And he didn't dare leave Naruto's side to track the recalcitrant fox down. He sat there, holding that lax, unusually pale hand in his own trembling one, and pet that glossy golden hair, which had become rather dull and lank.

Flowers from concerned citizens and shinobi alike filled the room, and their sweet stench sickened the wolf. Flowers? What the hell good were flowers? Why weren't they out beating the woods finding that damn fox?

But as aggressively as he asked these questions to anyone and everyone who came to pay their respects and well wishes, their hearts were softened. That Sasuke was tormented by Naruto's sudden and inexplicable sickness was more than obvious. And he'd been heard to whisper to an unhearing ear such tender entreaties.

_Come back to me, Naruto. Please get well. I need you. I love you. Come back to me. Please come back. I can't live without you, Naruto. I love you. Come back!_

Thus, early in the morning of the third day, Sasuke was crying again, fingers tight around that lax hand, and he made one last entreaty. He was on his knees beside the bed, head lowered tearfully to the mattress.

"Naruto, baby, please wake up! You can have all the ramen you can possibly eat, just come back to me!"

"Really?" A low hoarse voice answered. "I'll take it. Right now."

Sasuke's head came up with such a sharp jerk, his neck ached. "Naruto!"

Endlessly blue eyes, as deep and secretive as the sea were open and looking at him. Pale pink lips were curved in a trembling smile. "Hi."

Sasuke stared at him, frozen for a moment, then began to cry in earnest, crawling onto the bed and gathering that slightly warmer body into his arms. Wet messy kisses landed directionlessly. On Naruto's cheekbone, the corner of his mouth, just in front of his ear, amid his disheveled bangs, on the point of his chin.

The blonde chuckled weakly, and winced. His tummy was still so strangely painful. Sasuke finally found what he was looking for; Naruto's mouth. And Sasuke was a hungry man. He drank and drank from his dobe; deep, greedy kisses, until both were panting.

"What the hell happened, Dobe," Sasuke finally found the breath and strength to ask, refusing to let go.

Naruto shook his head. He had no idea. All he knew was that he was sore, he was tired, and god, was he hungry. And as if to reply to Sasuke's unanswered question, Naruto stomach spoke up… loudly.

Both boys gave watery chuckles. Sasuke gave him one last lingering kiss. "I've got to tell the others you're awake," he said making as if to climb out of the bed.

"No," Naruto cried softly. "Don't go, Teme." He felt so damnably weak. "Stay with me, one of the others can get me something to eat. You look tired. Have you slept at all?"

Sasuke shook his head. "How could I? But now that you're awake, I will, I promise. Right here in fact. But first, let me get Tsunade, and get you some Ramen. I promised, didn't I?"

"Yeah," Naruto breathed, smiling up at his mate. "I love you, Sasuke."

For a moment, Sasuke looked as if he might cry again. Several times over the last two days, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever hear those words from those sweet lips again.

The tender and touching moment was abruptly shattered by curses and growls, amid shrieks of fear.

"Let go of me, you snot nosed little human!" Kyuubi was snarling. "How dare you?"

"Oh, shut it!" Moegi was heard to reply in a shout. "Where the hell have you been anyway?"

"Unhand me, you damnable red headed brat! Why the hell do you always go for my ears?"

"Don't you know your kit needs you? Some father you are!"

"I'll eat you! I will! I'll strip the flesh from your tiny pathetic body, split your bones and suck out the marrow! Dammit, Vixen, let me go!"

"I'm not afraid of you. Naruto will kick your ass once he wakes up if you hurt one of us. And you know it. Now shut the hell up and come on!"

Moegi slapped open the hospital door and drug a kicking and cursing Kyuubi in, hand firmly fisted around one large, warm, velvety ear. They saw Sasuke on the bed, a wide awake, and wide eyed Naruto in his arms, and they both froze.

The other two stared back, dimly aware that the spectacle was drawing onlookers, standing very far back, of course, and watching with round eyes and opened mouths.

Naruto gave an explosive laugh.

"Naruto! You're awake!" Moegi shrieked, letting go and flying over to the bed. With a well placed hip, she shoved Sasuke right out of the bed, and he landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Kyuubi merely smirked, and shook his head, ears flapping loudly.

"Damned Vixen," he muttered sulkily. Stupid little human! Why did he like her anyway? Didn't she know how much damage she'd just done to his reputation? And he'd been working so hard to rebuild it! Dammit!

Sasuke picked himself up, pondering all the ways she could die painfully. Naturally, she was excited that Naruto was awake. Well, hell. He'd let her live after all.

"Where the hell have you been?" He sourly asked an equally disgruntled chichiue.

"Making myself scarce. I told you he'd be fine. But no. You wouldn't listen. Stubborn cub. Did you really think I would let our Kit die? You should have listened."

" 'Just wait'? Oh, yeah, there were some words of wisdom. Why didn't you tell me anything? Didn't you see how scared I was? Dammit, Chichiue, what's going on?"

"Heheheh… The Uchiha was scared? Hah. And you would have known if something was really wrong. The two of you are immortally connected, silly cub. You would have known he was fine if you hadn't let your past mortality cloud your judgment." Kyuubi looked insufferably pleased with himself.

"Of course I wasn't scared, I… Dammit, Kyuubi. Fine. I was scared. And I can't help but think like a human. I was one for a long time you know. Damn fox! Why can't you just explain things to me? How can I protect him if I don't know what's going on?" Sasuke was very angry indeed.

"Look, Cub. He's fine. Relax. He's even awake." Truthfully, though Kyuubi knew exactly what changes were going on, he couldn't prepare his cub for them, because they'd happened to him so very long ago, he couldn't even really remember. Besides, how he loved watching his oh so arrogant cub squirm. Since regaining all his memories, the Uchiha had once more adopted his holier than thou attitude with everyone. The only ones spared were Naruto, and himself, a little. He missed his serious little open hearted cub, he did.

In a very short time, the news that the Rokudaime was indeed awake and apparently well, despite his little flirtation with a coma, and Tsunade was there, checking the blonde over within an inch of his life. Monitors hummed, chakra flowed, and Shizune clucked.

The ex hokage straightened slowly, frustration in her burgundy eyes. "Well, there's nothing wrong that I can find," she began crossly. Previously perfectly healthy specimens of mankind didn't suddenly fall, for no reason, into inexplicable comas. Of course, Naruto was about as human now as Kyuubi was, no matter how human he looked. On that, Tsunade was not deceived.

"Why are you so angry?" Kyuubi asked lazily from the spare bed in the corner; naturally, the Rokudaime did not share his hospital room. The fox was sprawled out, taking up every inch of the bed, save a small spot by his belly, upon which his red haired vixen reclined just as lazily. Obviously, the ex demon lord had forgiven his new little acolyte. "He's awake, he's well, what the hell more do you need? Do you want him to be sick or ailing?"

Tsunade shot him a poisonous look, deeming him more than knowing of what was afoot inside Naruto. But in true demon like fashion, refused to share. Selfish, rat furred, scrawny limbed, pea brained…

Tsunade gave a soft laugh, letting it go. Kyuubi was right. Naruto was awake and well. It still bothered her a great deal that something was wrong with her precious blonde, but apparently whatever changes were happening were nothing to really be concerned about. Demon Kyuubi may be, and was. Homicidal the creature was, and to a certain extent still was. But he loved Naruto with every breath in his cursed animalistic body, and would move heaven and earth to save him. Kyuubi had done so before; at great cost to himself. Let it go. Time would reveal all.

Sasuke, sullenly watching all this from near Kyuubi's head, was livid. How dare that tall, beast bosomed bitch lay such familiar hands on his Naruto? He didn't care the woman viewed the blonde like a son, she was intimately touching his mate! His blonde! His dobe!

When Sasuke had abdicated being a leaf shinobi so long ago, he barely knew Tsunade. Sure, she'd brought him out of the comatose state brought on by his brother's mangekyou sharingan, but he was as cold as ice in those days, and had barely felt even gratitude; his mind had been bent on other matters then. In the ensuing years after that, especially after his rise as Otokage and Naruto's master, she had spewed all the venom in her great heart; which as capable of great warmth and love, was likewise capable of great hate and disdain. She had stared at Uchiha Sasuke across the negotiation table with such hatred in her eyes. And had not cared if he knew. All the better if he did. Now, since their return, he knew she only tolerated him because of Naruto. The blonde was willing to kill everyone in a direct line between himself and his loved ones. There was no way Tsunade was going to put herself in that line. Favored as she was, she would die just as painfully if she were to do what she so longed to do; imprison and execute Sasuke for his crimes.

Needless to say, there was no love lost between the two of them. To have to watch her touch what was his greatest love and treasure was galling. And to heap insult upon injury, very shortly afterwards, she cornered him and had the nerve to give him a lecture about leaving Naruto alone. He stared at her, barely able to restrain his sharingan from activating.

"I mean it, Uchiha," she was saying coldly. "Until we're sure Naruto is truly fine, leave him alone. I know how much you like to fuck him into whatever surface is available, but I'm telling you now, let it go for a while."

It was too much.

The black eyes shot to red so fast, she was almost dizzy. There was a split second that webbed black triangles stood out in them, then shrank down to the stars she'd become so familiar with.

"Do not dare to lecture me about my Naruto's well being, Godaime." He breathed hotly. "The whole world could die, and I wouldn't give a shit. There is only one person that concerns me. Naruto is everything, and I will sooner know what he needs or doesn't need than you. I am his guardian. His guardian first, and lover second. As much as he is my everything, I am his. I am. Not you. Rest assured, Naruto will never again come to harm or grief by my hand. Back off, woman."

Even when he'd been Otokage, she'd never felt anything but disdain for him. But here, right now, she was afraid. Though his body remained unchanged, he seemed bigger somehow, and menace rolled off him like fog from warm waters. For a moment, it was crystal clear; he could kill her in a single second, and there was nothing she would be able to do to stop him, despite her prodigious strength and skills. And she knew, in her own fashion, that as she only tolerated him for Naruto's sake, so too he only tolerated her for the same.

Naruto was the glue that held this biologically unrelated, extended, disjointed, and oftime dysfunctional family together.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Summer Heat

Summer Heat

Chapter 3

When Naruto was released from the hospital, it was with a collective sigh of relief. Happy townsfolk cheered in solidarity as he waved with a slight smile upon leaving the building he'd been far too acquainted with in his earlier days.

As always, seeing the people smiling at him always made him pause to consider the fickle natures of humanity. The same people laughing and waving and more than a few girls blowing kisses, to the Uchiha's silent ire, were the same that had taunted him as a child, had looked the other way when those more violent had beset him, and had instigated his windows being broken, or worse, every anniversary of the Yondaime's death and Kyuubi's imprisonment.

Ironically, this new and almost unconditional acceptance of him, not only as a citizen of Konoha, but its highest leader, gave him an even deeper distrust of humanity enmasse. Especially now that he was no longer one of them, if he'd ever really been. Deep down inside, he knew that when he woke tomorrow, it was entirely possible that once more the wind would have changed, and he would again be the town's pariah.

And once more, he drew in a shaky breath, and wondered if he was even fit to rule them, and even more dismaying, wondered if he really wanted to anymore. It grew increasingly harder to deal with them fairly, much less love them as unconditionally as he had before.

But as these dark and bleak thoughts descended upon him, a noisy row of children pushed through, banners and streamers waving, and shouted their delight that their new Hokage was better. And Naruto's heart softened. As he had in Sound, so to he made it so in Konoha. There were no homeless children, no unloved children, no lonely children, and most of all, no hungry children.

Part of the Uchiha District/Uzumaki Compound had been given over to them. Buildings were strengthened, playgrounds sprouted like weeds, and people flowed through like water. Naruto had garnered the uncanny ability to look into people's hearts, and discern those things he most wanted to know. It was especially easy for him when dealing with children, something most dear to his heart. Several had applied for positions within the new 'orphanage', and Naruto hadn't given them a second glance. Most of the rejects were those that applied simply to have an 'easy' job, or wanted to endear themselves to him and Sasuke, also deeply involved with the children. A very few were predators of the worst sort, and though Naruto dismissed them with civility, they vanished soon thereafter. And not all of them were eaten by Kyuubi. Naruto had dug more than one deep grave in the wilds.

But as much as he distrusted and looked askance at the vacillating adults, he had no reservations about children. He saw himself in each and every one of them, and yearned to reach out, to soothe the hurt of abandonment, fill empty bellies, and touch lonely hands that reached out and tugged so on his heart strings. If only he'd been loved like this, when he was lonely and hungry and sad. Well, at least he now knew what growing up with such love and acceptance felt like, in his second incarnation. He would see to it that no child he knew of went hungry, or cold, or lonely, or scared.

And the warm, unconditional acceptance of the innocence of childhood warmed him and washed away the chill instilled by the same regard of the adults. He stopped, and allowed them to crowd around him, all of them; the noisy, sticky handed children that tugged on his robes as fiercely as they did on his heart, the older and slightly more restrained children, some almost ready for the academy, eager to show and tell him all the latest news, to the diffident, but secretly shy and heart scarred teenagers, who pretended aloofness, yet watched him with hope flickering in once dim eyes.

Very few knew how often he passed through the dormitories of these lost souls, when the skies were dark, and hearts that were wary by day opened freely under the moon, and these same coltish teens wrapped skinny arms around his neck, and poured their tears and tales of woe out to a heart that knew and understood them to the very bottom of their souls.

So Naruto let them flow around him now, and drew in not a shaky breath, but a deep and reaffirming one; this is why he was Hokage now. Not to protect those who changed their alliances as often as they did their minds, but to the children of Konoha. The ones who needed him most, because the rest of the world had been content to forget they had so many needs.

Sasuke stood behind him now, and watched him with a gentle smile. Not overly fond of children himself, nevertheless the import of what they stood for struck him to his very core; dozens of little Naruto's that would never be hungry again, never be lonely, never be afraid again. And because of this, it was easy to open his heart and his home to them, and not just because his other half wanted it so. But because, in this small way, perhaps he could atone for all the suffering his blonde had survived in his short and violent life. Sasuke could cheerfully spend the rest of a very long life trying to make up for what Naruto had experienced, and not just at his hands, but at the village that was supposed to protect him, and instead, hurt him.

In this one small thing, Sasuke was more than willing to give all of himself. For all the little Naruto's of the world.

Besides, someone had to watch over these heart hungry souls, and carefully steer them away from what was his, that he would never, ever relinquish. More than a few of the budding adolescents, of both genders, looked at the tall and stunning Hokage, with hearts in their eyes.

Of course, the tall and gangly teenagers of the orphanage weren't the only interlopers he had to be wary of. Men and women both, of almost all ages, often smiled at the blonde goofily, wanting some of that bright and sunny warmth for their own. Naruto had grown into his brightness with such grace, so strange for someone who'd been so clumsy and awkward in his own youth. Like an ugly duckling that became a swan.

Sasuke's lip curled internally. Shit, but he'd become soft in the head! Waxing poetic of all things. Good thing his mind was still his own, lest he die of shame were it to become known that under his arctic, steely façade, he'd become warm and soft and gooey as a perfectly toasted marshmallow.

This was all Naruto's fault!

But all his derisive reflections melted like ice in the summer sun when he watched Naruto cradling his youngest acquisition, a year old toddler found half starved by the burnt out shell of a shanty shack. Those big blue eyes were so soft and warm, that pouty mouth he so loved to kiss curved into such a wistful smile as he buried his nose in play tossed silvery locks.

Naruto was a natural father. Heart as big as the universe, and no little ones of his own to ever lavish all that love on. It just wasn't right. Sasuke didn't care if he ever spawned. In fact, as he'd said to the council, he really didn't think he even wanted his own line to continue. However, he had no such reservations about Naruto procreating. The blond should have children of his own. Little blonde haired, blue eyed children sleeping in beds just down the hall from their own. Children to bounce on his knee as babies, tussle with as children, guide as adolescents, and be protective of as they launched their own lives in the world.

Naruto should have children of his own.

Once Naruto had been willing to step aside, break his own heart, so that Sasuke could have children, and achieve the last of his goals.

Well, Sasuke was no starry eyed dreamer, like his blonde. Hell no. No one was going to take his greatest treasure away. Sasuke would never give Naruto to someone else. But he might just loan him for a single night every few years.

Once the loving shepherds Naruto had hand picked to watch over his little treasures had gently and smilingly shooed the little ones, and not so little ones, away, and they had resumed their journey to Ichiraku's, Sasuke began eyeing the women of their acquaintances speculatively. He'd given himself much food for thought.

They arrived in due time, the crowd finally smaller as it had become just them and their closest friends at the ramen bar. Naruto, naturally, dug into his ramen like a starving alley cat. Huh, some things never change, comfortingly enough. And Sasuke took the opportunity to again look over the women they knew.

Naturally enough, Sakura first came to his mind, but he very quickly discarded that notion. She was too obsessively fixated upon Naruto for both Sasuke's and Lee's comfort. To be sure, both men knew it was the ferocious protective urges of a mother over her child, not a jot of sexual desire in her for the blonde at all. But still… it was somehow even creepier than when she'd stalked the Uchiha.

Hinata was out, and not just because she was currently carrying Gaara's child in a far off land. As much as the unlikely couple had come to love each other, they still carried deep rooted desire for Sasuke's golden fox. That was one door he would never, ever open.

Hanabi was out; she was the crown princess of the Hyuuga clan. Any issue of hers would naturally find its way into some sort of bid for succession. Not to mention, Sasuke would never, ever, allow the Hyuuga clan to get its claws in any child of Naruto's. Hiashi would salivate like a slavering dingo at the notion of Naruto's seed in his daughter's belly. Simply no way in Hell.

In the hour or so it took to assuage Naruto's monstrous appetite for ramen, Sasuke had ample time to ponder the rest of the women they knew. He rejected this one and that one for a multitude of reasons, and was just pondering that it might be appropriate to take his search outside of Konoha proper, when his eyes fell upon Ino.

She was still single, obnoxiously so, but her hair, almost as sunny as Naruto's, and her eyes, though of a different shade, were likewise blue. Hmmm… it would ensure any of Naruto's children would indeed be blue eyed blondes. Something that would please Sasuke enormously. And she was a sensible girl, having long given up her fangirl tendencies over Sasuke soonest. In fact, she'd been the warmest of Naruto's friends, as she had a relationship with Naruto very similar to the one he himself had when they were younger; an amiable exchange of insults and elbow jabs.

Hmmmm… he would definitely have to ponder this more carefully. The decision as to who should carry Naruto's child was a weighty one that deserved much deep thought and careful analysis.

He was brought out of his musing by a soft laugh, and looked up to find that they were now alone. He'd been so lost in thought, that not only had Naruto finished his hefty meal, but the others had departed, and even the dirty bowls were gone, cleaned by the ever efficient Ayame.

"Wake up, koi," Naruto called softly, his blue eyes warm and alight for him alone. "Come back from whatever far away lands you're lost in."

Sasuke gave a wry chuckle, leaning forward to thoroughly kiss his now pink cheeked mate. If only Naruto knew just exactly how close those lands he was wandering in really was.

And if Kyuubi had known what close at hand yet exotic lands Sasuke had journeyed to, he would laugh himself sick.

Sasuke always was an impatient cub.


End file.
